'Some mentors don't just direct you, they transform you'

On the occasion of Guru Purnima, actor Sparsh Shrivastava reflects on the deeper meaning of a guru, saying the role goes beyond formal mentorship.

- Vishakha Pandit

Without any formal training or theatre background, Sparsh got his first break as a child actor in TV show Balika Vadhu. It was there that director Sidharth Sengupta became a guiding force. “Sidharth sir really focused on how we performed. He scolded me a lot, but it came from a place of love. That discipline helped me grow,” he recalls.